UPCOMING EVENTS
Monday, February 29
9:30AM
Lois Shapiro
"Beethoven's Sonata Op. 110:
Music That Enacts Its Own Becoming"
The First Parish Watertown
Music Sale, 9AM
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Monday, March 28
9:30AM
Luiz De Moura Castro
"The Delights of South American Music"
The First Parish Watertown
Music Sale, 9AM
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Monday, April 11
9:30AM
Spring Teachers' Exchange
Wellesley Free Library
530 Washington Street
Wellesley, MA 02482
(no music sale)
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Monday, April 25
9:30AM
Max Levinson
Student Master Class
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MEMBER NEWS
CONGRATULATIONS!
Colleen Campbell has just added a very important title to her very long list...
current Chair of the
Program committee,
former President...
It's a Boy!
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CONCERT
26th Annual Composers Celebration Gala
Tatyana Dudochkin, founder, director, piano
Sunday, March 13
7:30PM
NEC's Jordan Hall
290 Huntington Avenue, Boston MA
Works by:
Bach, Vivaldi, Ravel, Sarasate, Mussorgski, Rimski-Korsakov, Villa-Lobos, Piazzolla and others.
Admission $20/15
NEC Box Office:
617-585 1260
http://necmusic.edu/calendar_event/2016-3-13
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CONCERT
The Sounds of Stow Chorus and Orchestra,
Barbara Jones
director, conductor
Sunday, March 20
3PM
Hale Middle School
Stow Center
Works by:
Schumann, Mendelssohn, Rutter and Fauré
Mana Tokuno, piano
(Schumann concerto)
Tickets available at the door or on the website: soundsofstow.com
For more info contact
Barbara Jones
978-562-2620
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WORKSHOPS
"How To Teach Improvisation to Piano Students"
A well-proven, step-by-step program
to help students of
all ages and levels
learn to improvise up to an intermediate level.
Dates: In June
(TBA based upon interest)
Location: Nina's studio (Belmont)
More Info:
For more info contact
Nina Grimaldi
YOGA SESSIONS
Free Four-Week Sessions
Small Groups
(3 -4 people)
Tuesdays or Wednesdays
(some Fridays)
AnythingPiano@yahoo.com
781-354-0170
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PIANO FOR SALE
Yamaha
C7 Grand Piano
$15,000
To connect with owner,
contact NEPTA member
Carol Chaffee
PIANO FOR SALE
Henry Miller Grand Piano
Length: 6 foot, 10 inches
Purchased: circa 1973; rebuilt prior to this
Asking Price: $1750.00
To connect with owner, contact NEPTA member
dave@davespianolessons.com
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RECITAL SPACE AVAILABLE
Steinway Grand Piano
Seating for 100
Lexington
Contact Inga Magid:
Inga@keys-for-kids.com
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Submitting Member News
Member News should be submitted to
Donna Gross Javel by the first of each month to be included in that month's newsletter. Please see the website for further information about
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FEBRUARY GREETINGS 
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
It was wonderful to see such a great turnout for the January meeting! Many members were present and we had many guests as well. We now have a guest book for guests to sign and a collection box in which they can place the guest fee ($10). Members will sign the yellow pad that's passed around just as we've always done.
Victor Rosenbaum gave a wonderful talk and treated us to some very beautiful playing as well. If you were not there and would like to read about the meeting, check the NEPTA website in about two weeks to read the minutes which are being prepared by Natacha Rist and uploaded by Caroline Ly.
Many thanks to Tanya Schwartzman for printing out the newsletter each month and sending it to a list of some of NEPTA's long-time members who do not have access to email. Someone who has been a devoted member of NEPTA for decades approached me at the meeting to say that she appreciates having the opportunity to read the newsletter each month and that she feels much more connected to the organization as a result. Many thanks to Tanya for making this possible.
Please note that you can see a list of upcoming events and deadlines at a glance in the "Looking Ahead" section of each issue of the newsletter.
Recital and Competition deadlines are approaching. Information regarding the dates, deadlines and how to get help is provided in this newsletter.
New information on parking has been contributed by
Natacha Rist and can be found at the end of this newsletter.
In addition to submitting member news to be included in the newsletters, you are encouraged to post your news on the New England Piano Teachers' Association Facebook page.
Visit the page!
We have another exciting meeting scheduled for February 29. Lois Shapiro will speak to us about one of Beethoven's late piano sonatas, Op. 110. This is an extraordinary work -- I'm sure Lois will provide a fascinating look into what makes this sonata so special. Lois is on the faculty of Wellesley College. ou can read about her
here and here is the link to her trio, Triple Helix:
http://triplehelixpianotrio.org/wordpress/. You can also read about Lois in the program booklet.
Our recital season has gotten off to a great start. Please scroll down for pictures of the Junior and Intermediate committee members. We owe a lot to these members. Our recitals could not take place without their efforts. They are doing a lot for the love of music and music education.
I have enjoyed spending some time with many of you at the meetings and recitals. I look forward to seeing you at the February 29 meeting -if not sooner. If we haven't met, please introduce yourself - getting to know each of you is my favorite part of my role as President of NEPTA.
Warmly,
Donna Gross Javel
NEPTA President
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Memorial Service for Jean Stackhouse's Husband
 It is with great sadness that I must announce that Max Stackhouse, the husband of Jean Stackhouse, passed away recently. Jean Stackhouse, an Honorary member of NEPTA, has been a member of NEPTA for many, many years. Many of us have fond memories of her piano pedagogy classes, others may have heard her extraordinary students perform, and others may have participated in the yoga sessions she used to offer. Jean's passion for music and teaching has been a guiding light for many of us. I know I speak for many when I say that we wish her peace and comfort during this difficult time.
There will be a memorial service for Max Stackhouse on February 13 in Stockbridge, MA at The First Congregational Church.
Personal cards may be sent to Jean at this address:
Jean Stackhouse
PO Box 401
West Stockbridge, MA 01266
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FEBRUARY 29 SPEAKER SERIES: LOIS SHAPIRO
T
he last three Beethoven piano sonatas hardly need an  introduction among pianists. They are each extraordinary works. Lois Shapiro will speak to us about Op. 110 and will provide a fascinating look into what makes this sonata so special. Lois Shapiro is on the faculty of Wellesley College. You can read about her
here
and here is the link to her trio, Triple Helix:
http://triplehelixpianotrio.org/wordpress/
You can also read about Lois in the program booklet.
Ruth Ross
will treat us once again with the NEPTA Music Sale so be sure to arrive early to have time to peruse the music and to connect with your colleagues.
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NEPTA'S INTERIM TREASURER: JAN SPILLANE
Congratulations to
Bert Yocom who recently accepted a full-time position. This news is bitter-sweet because the time constraints of his new job require that he step down from his role as NEPTA Treasurer.
"I would just add that it has been a pleasure and honor to work with such dedicated and talented people as we have in NEPTA. And, I'm not leaving so you will see me again at some point." -Bert Yocom
Many thanks to Bert for the time and energy he has devoted to the position of NEPTA Treasurer. We all wish you well Bert. Good luck in your new position!
Our work is never done...
The Board has voted unanimously to accept
Janice Spillane as our interim Treasurer.
Jan is a Certified Public Accountant and is licensed to practice in Massachusetts. Obviously, she is more than qualified for the job.
Many thanks to Jan for agreeing to share her expertise with us.
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MENTORING
"Mentoring, an informal or formal process by which older, seasoned people support, educate and counsel younger employees, is critical to the success of just about any enterprise."
John M. Zeigler, Ph.D. and Nancy L. Ostromencki
From the website PianoEducation.org
We may not think of piano teaching as an enterprise, but every piano teacher operating a studio is a small business owner. Every enterprise needs new energy and inspiration. Whether you are just starting your studio, or have already been teaching "for years," the NEPTA Mentoring Program offers a unique opportunity for teachers to learn from teachers FOR FREE. Our roster of mentors include:
Janna Bruenne,
Elizabeth Landman,
Betty Reed,
A.Ramon Rivera, and
Linda Vieira.
If you are interested in starting the New Year with new inspiration contact
Betty Reed, Chair of the NEPTA Mentoring Program, for more information at 617-489-6862,or via email at
pianoears@gmail.com.
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RECITAL APPLICATIONS AND DEADLINES
All Recital Applications are available on the website. Please take the time to provide all the
information that should be included on the program (correct spelling of the tempo markings, all the necessary information such as Op. 9, No. 2 etc etc) so that our volunteers dont need to contact you for additional information.
Diana Tetzlaff is available to talk members through the online application process on the phone. If you need help, please contact her. She can be reached at 617-816-1777. Thank you Diana!
Detailed recital information is in the Program Booklet and on the NEPTA website. Please direct all questions to the appropriate Recital Chair.
Please check the Program Booklet for the time limits and requirements. There will be no exceptions to the time limits. Our volunteers give many hours of their time to make these recitals possible for our students.
SENIOR RECITAL: for students in grades 9, 10, 11, and 12
Date: March 6
SNOW DATE FOR ALL WATERTOWN RECITALS
March 20: 2PM-8PM
ADULT RECITAL: for students 18 years of age or older
Date: April 3
Deadline: March 3
Location: Metrowest, Boston
Many thanks to Niva, Janice and their committee members for their valuable contribution to NEPTA.
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COMPETITION APPLICATIONS & DEADLINES
All Competition Applications are available on the website. Please note that all the competitions are taking place in Natick this year. Detailed information is in the Program Booklet and on the NEPTA website. Make sure to
check the eligibility and repertoire requirements. There will be no exceptions.
Diana Tetzlaff is available to talk members through the online application process on the phone. She can be reached at 617-816-1777. Thank you Diana!
Please direct all other questions to the appropriate Competition Chair. Rankjo Konishi-Houston and Victoria Suchodolski give many hours of their time to make these competitions possible for our students. Jia Shi, a new member, has volunteered to be the chair of the High School Competitions next year. Jia will be helping Ranko this year so that there will be a smooth transition for next year. Many thanks to Victoria, Ranko and Jia for their valuable contribution to NEPTA.
MILDRED FREIBERG: MIDDLE SCHOOL*
Date: Saturday, April, 2
Location: M. Steinert & Sons, Natick, MA
RUTH DAVIDSON: HIGH SCHOOL*
Date: Saturday, April 9
Location: M. Steinert & Sons, Natick, MA
ALICE HAMLET: SENIOR*
Date: Saturday, April 9
Location: M. Steinert & Sons, Natick, MA
*AWARDS RECITAL
All competition winners are expected to perform in the Awards Recital which will take place at The First Parish of Watertown on
Monday, May 23, from 9:30AM-12PM.
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FACES! JUNIOR AND INTERMEDIATE COMMITTEES
Many, many thanks to
Marianne Jensen, Diane Anderson, Alia Mavroforos, Karin Kydland, Lyubov Shlain, Natalia Harlap and Selma Ramic for the time and energy they put into making these recitals run so smoothly. Through their efforts, NEPTA is able to give the 'Gift of Music' to an entire generation of young musicians.
JUNIOR RECITALS
Marianne Jensen, Chair, Junior I
Diane Anderson, Chair, Junior II
Alia Mavroforos, committee member
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| Alia Mavroforos and Marianne Jensen |
INTERMEDIATE RECITALS
Karin Kydland, Chair, Intermediate I
Lyubov Shlain, Chair, Intermediate II
Natalia Harlap, committee member (no picture available)
Selma Ramic, committee member (no picture available)
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| Karin Kydland awarding the Certificates of Participation |
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NANCY OLIVA AWARD RECIPIENTS
We proudly announce the winners of the Nancy Oliva Award who played in the NEPTA Intermediate I Recitals on January 24, 2016:
Alex Li, student of
Rita Mikulinsky
Janelle Li, student of
Lilit Karapetian-Shougarian
Tomer Nuriyev, student of
Tanya Schwartzman
Margaret Li (Honorable Mention) student of
Lina Yen
Congratulations to the winners and their teachers! Many thanks to Karin Kydland, Recital Chair, and Diana Tetzlaff, Scholarship Chair
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WANDA PAIK AWARD RECIPIENTS
The Wanda Paik Award Committee Chair,
Janice P. Zaganjori, and committee members,
Dianne Impallaria and
Elizabeth Reed, chose four 8th graders out of a pool of 11 qualifying students for the Wanda Paik Awards. It was a competitive year.
Congratulations to:
Kathlin Chen, student of
Lina Yen
Megan Wong, student of
Tanya Schwartzman
Dina Zeldin, student of
Rita Mikulinsky
Anthony Xue, student of
Eleanor V. McLaughlin
They all demonstrated incredible poise, concentration, technique and dedication to the music,performing very difficult pieces for their age. Congratulations to both students and teachers. Special thanks to Wanda Paik for her generosity.
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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: RANKO KONISHI-HOUSTON
This month, I'd like to introduce you to another very dedicated NEPTA volunteer. Ranko Konishi-Houston was the Chair of the  Mildred Freiberg competition for many years and more recently became the Chair of the Hamlet and Davidson competitions. Ranko is currently the Chair of the Hamlet and Davidson competitions as well as the Vice President. She devotes many hours of her time to NEPTA.
Ranko Konishi-Houston is a private piano teacher and an active member of NEPTA in the Greater Boston Area. She began learning piano at the age of three in Osaka, Japan. She studied under Yasuo Yamada while attending at the Young Children's Music Division at Soai University in Osaka.
At the age of eight, Ranko and her parents moved from Japan to Philadelphia for her father to research pathology at Temple University. During her two years in Philadelphia, Ranko studied piano with Dr. Lois Faruqi. This was when Ranko discovered her passion for piano performance.
After returning to Japan, Ranko completed her Japanese school education and attended Canadian Academy, International School in Kobe. For her last two years of high school, she returned to the US and studied piano with Dorothea Persichetti (wife of composer Vincent Persichetti) and violin with Estelle Kerner. Dorothea and Estelle were great influencers on Ranko's music career - these were the years when Ranko developed her emotional connection with music.
Ranko holds a B.M. and M.M. from New England Conservatory of Music. She is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, Iota Chapter. She began her undergraduate studies at Indiana University in Bloomington where she studied with Michel Block. She then transferred to New England Conservatory of Music where she studied with Gabriel Chodos, Randy Hodgkinson and Victor Rosenbaum. She also studied Piano Pedagogy with Jean Stackhouse who was her mentor along with Sylvia Chambless. Through Jean Stackhouse, Ranko joined NEPTA, where she has been a member for over twenty years.
Ranko has been teaching private piano lessons at her home for over 25 years. She is the devoted mother of 26 year old Jessica, who was a competitive figure skater at the National and International levels. Now that Jessica has grown up, Ranko is a dedicated and active member of NEPTA. She serves on the Board of Directors and has served as Competition Chair for the past three years. She is honored to be Vice President and grateful to be able to work with President Donna Gross Javel, along with the volunteers who devote much time and effort to the organization.
Ranko teaches piano at her home in Cambridge, where she lives with her husband Eric. She enjoys performing, and even performs her friends' compositions with other instrumentalists from time to time.
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NEPTA RESOURCES
HELP DESK FOR ALL ONLINE REGISTRATION
Diana Tetzlaff is available to talk members through the process on the phone. She can be reached at 617-816-1777.
Tina Liu will help members register online during the breaks of some of the NEPTA meetings.
MEMBER NEWS GUIDELINES
All Member News should be submitted according to the guidelines that are described in detail at this link to the
NEPTA website.
PROGRAM BOOKLET
Please note that the NEPTA Program Booklet that J
anice Spillane produced and designed so beautifully contains all the information you need.
WEBSITE
Get to know the NEPTA website! All the information that is in the Program Booklet is on the website,
www.nepta.info.
Please note that Meeting Minutes and past issues of the NEPTA Newsletter are available on the website. The meeting minutes are usually posted within two weeks of each meeting.
NEPTA NEWSLETTERS
This year, the NEPTA Newsletters will be issued every month from September through May.
EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS
Many thanks to
Eleanor Perrone our Email Communicator. She has already provided us with many important emails.
FACEBOOK PAGE
If you are on Facebook, please 'like' our page,
New England Piano Teachers' Association. This is a public page which means that it is available to anyone in cyberspace. You are encouraged to share your news on this page and visit it to find out more about your colleagues.
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ONLY ONE GRANT-IN-AID REMAINS
We began the fiscal year with eight awards in the amount of $125 being available to students in need. There is now only one grant remaining for the current fiscal year (NEPTA's fiscal year runs from July 1 -June 30). To apply, a brief note from the teacher (email is acceptable) stating the family's need and reasons for financial assistance should be sent via email to
Carol Chaffee,
Scholarship Chair
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LOOKING AHEAD
FEBRUARY 6: DEADLINE FOR SENIOR RECITALS
FEBRUARY 29:
SPEAKER SERIES: LOIS SHAPIRO
- "Beethoven's Sonata Op. 110:
Music That Enacts Its Own Becoming"
- First Parish Watertown, 9:30am
- Music Sale, 9:00am
MARCH 2: DEADLINE FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL COMPETITION
MARCH 3:
DEADLINE FOR ADULT RECITAL
MARCH 9: DEADLINE FOR HIGH SCHOOL COMPETITIONS
MARCH 28: SPEAKER SERIES: LUIZ DE MOURA CASTRO
- "The Delights of South American Music"
- First Parish Watertown, 9:30am
- Music Sale, 9:00am
APRIL 1: REGISTRATION OPENS FOR THE MAY 23 LUNCHEON
APRIL 1: MEMBERSHIP DUES RENEWAL PROCESS BEGINS
- Renewing your dues early facilitates the work of our volunteers
- "Just Do It!"
APRIL 11: SPRING TEACHERS' EXCHANGE
- Paul-André Bempéchat
"Two Versions of the Conclusion of Schumann's Fantasy Opus 17
- Donna Gross Javel
- "Yoga and Its Benefits for Pianists"
- Wellesley Free Library, 9:30am
- 530 Washington Street, Wellesley, MA 02482
MAY 2: DEADLINE FOR REGISTERING FOR THE MAY 23 LUNCHEON
MAY 23: ANNUAL MEETING /AWARDS RECITAL/ LUNCHEON
MAY 31: DEADLINE FOR PAYING DUES
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INTERESTED IN BECOMING A VOLUNTEER?
If you are interested in getting involved in some way, please contac
t Donna Gross Javel at
AnythingPiano@yahoo.com.
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MUSIC SALE
Our Music Sale is back by popular demand, once again organized by Ruth Ross, Music Library and Donation Chair. Please join us prior to all regular meetings in September, October, January, February, March and May. Please note that the music sale takes place at The First Parish starting at 9AM. Members are asked to bring their checkbooks and any music that they are willing to donate that morning.
The sale serves three purposes:
- Teachers have access to music that, perhaps, has gone out of print
- Standard teaching methods and collections can be acquired at a very reasonable price
- All proceeds go directly to the NEPTA Scholarship Fund
Please direct any questions to Ruth Ross at rrosspiano@aol.com.
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NEPTA'S FACEBOOK PAGE
Remember that you can post your own up-to-the- minute concert listings and other items of interest on NEPTA's Facebook page. Visit www.facebook.com/NEPTApiano
to see the latest news from your NEPTA friends!
YouTube videos of your performances are especially welcome.
Don't forget -- when you visit the Facebook page, click the 'Like' button!!
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NEW! 8-HOUR PARKING METERS
For NEPTA members who use the Watertown parking meters for our meetings at The First Parish:
Natacha Rist has discovered that some red parking meters, located farther away from The First Parish, accept quarters for eight and not just two hours. Check the individual meters. Thank you Natacha for saving us a trip to the parking lot to feed the meters!
The Watertown Savings Bank has strongly requested that NEPTA members do not park in the bank parking lot for NEPTA events. Please be respectful of this neighboring business and leave the free parking for its clients.
Please be aware that Watertown has restricted parking on the side streets immediately surrounding the First Parish and thus eliminating any "free parking."
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LOST AND FOUND
A new job description has been added to the roles of President and Vice President!
The staff at the First Parish has requested that NEPTA members do not contact the church office when they leave something at a NEPTA meeting. So, please, if you leave something at the meeting, contact either Donna Gross Javel or Ranko Konishi-Houston. Better yet, look carefully around you before you leave.
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